Joan

Chapter XXXVII

So we're back on track, making our way through this sticky mess of jungle while I follow the invisible man's footsteps in the soft ground.

It's only as we travel along that I remember, with a roll of my eyes, that I still have to satisfy the first rule of this little "game" Tymos designed. So as much as it hurts me, I have to get through this.

But before I can even open my mouth, we come across something peculiar (as if everything else in this jungle has been normal).

Before us lies an opening to what seems to be a hedge or, from the outward look of it, a maze. Odd place for a maze to exist out here, but there doesn't appear to be anything sinister to it, it's just kinda random.

We pause, standing at the entrance to study it up close.

"What is this?" Lan asks aloud, staring at the intimidatingly high walls.

"Looks like a labyrinth," Nimu breathes, taken by the suddenness of it all.

Chasan rubs the back of his neck, giving the maze a distrustful look. "A little out of place if you ask me."

"Out of place indeed," Dhisnaek quietly agrees, wearing a similar look of suspicion.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this yet. Intuition tells me that it's a little out there for a random maze to exist smack dab in the center of the rainforest, yet my natural curiosity is urging me to run in like a child and see what this thing's all about.

Before I can even step forward, Nimu's sudden cry startles me. Whipping around, I see her covering her eyes like an eyelash just fell in. Concerned, Lan immediately goes to her side.

"Are you okay?"

Hissing, she shakes her head. "No, I...I can't-"

Beside her, Lan cries out in pain as well, slapping his hands to his face as well.

"What's going on?" Chasan asks, taking hold of Lan. "What happened?"

Lan can hardly get a word out, he's tripping all over himself, muttering like a lunatic to himself.

"Are you guys good?" I ask uneasily. Things are definitely getting strange around here and I'm not liking it.

Dhisnaek steps up, trying to get to the bottom of all this.

"It might be beneficial to sit them down under a-"

Interrupting himself to cover his face, he lets out a discomforting groan. Now I'm starting to worry, like some serious sweat now. What the hell is going on and how do we stop it!?

Chasan and I exchange a panicked look before ultimately he too out-of-nowhere claws at his face with a surprised cry.

My heart is beating faster than it should, almost like someone spiked it with all the caffeine in the world- it's even worse than when I just finished running a sprint after a cheat day on my diet.

Shit, I know I'm next, I just don't know when it'll hit me.

As I sweat bullets, a familiar someone pipes up in my head.

"It's time for your consequences to catch up to you now."

Oh God, what now?

"I'm genuinely curious to how well your leadership skills are maturing, so let's put you to the test."

"Oh, so you're behind all of this?" I scowl.

"It's all my credit. Now, what lies before you is a kind of maze, a labyrinth if you will. Your simple task is to escort your companions through this maze without injury."